West End In St. Louis Park Is The New Hot Spot In Minnesota

In a Suburb just outside of Minneapolis, you'll find trendy shops, awesome restaurants, and the best movie theater in the state with a VIP Lounge. The West End, which is still under construction has slowly become the new "place to be" in the Metro area. It attracts all types of people including young hipsters, and established business clientele with its wide variety to shoppes and restaurants. 

The Shops At West End have the feel of the Uptown atmosphere, with smaller boutiques like Primp and Charming Charlie, priced for college students. They also have shops for people looking to spend a little extra cash with stores like Anthropology and Jos. A. bank, which have a higher price point. No matter what you're shopping for, you'll be sure to find it here. 

The West End also has some of the states hottest restaurants. Crave, an american Bistro, has a large patio area, great for sitting outside in the summer and enjoying a cocktail. Rojo, a modern style mexican restaurant also has a patio, and an awesome happy hour from 3-6 during the week. You'll also find Coopers which is and Irish Pub, and a newly added sushi restaurant, Raku. Whatever mood you're in, you wont have a problem finding a great place to eat and enjoy a break from shopping!

Once you're finished with dinner and shopping, make sure you stop by the Showplace Icon Theater for a nice relaxing movie. When you buy your ticket you are able to pick the perfect seat right on the screen, this ensures that there are enough seats, and that no one else will be sitting in your spot. If you purchase VIP tickets, they have a VIP Lounge upstairs for viewers 21 and over to enjoy a cocktail and some gourmet popcorn. The seats are twice the size of normal theater seats, and each of them has a table for your convenience. Overall the West End is filled with endless options on how to spend your day. Minutes from Minneapolis, you get the feel of the uptown excitement, without the hassle of traffic. If you haven't been there yet I would definitely recommend checking it out!

Visit The Shops At West End for more details.

Women Need Weights,Too!

Different types of workouts come and go like fads, but there is one in particular that I think all women should practice.  Exercising with weights!  Just the other day, a woman I work with told me, "I can't weight train, I get really bulky and boxy."  This is a total misconception!   According to Fitocracy Blog, lifting weights, creates muscle and muscle speeds up your metabolism, which in return burns fat.  Yes, cardio is important to incorporate in your workout routine and can help burn fat, but you will not see an overall change in your body like you can with strength training.

Where you can start

Now when I say lift weights, I don't mean you need to be performing Olympic lifts.  If it means you need to start by lifting 5 pound dumb bells from workouts you found on YouTube or Pinterest, that is a solid beginning.  If it all possible, hire a personal trainer for a few sessions just to show you where you need to begin.   Every woman's body has different needs and a personal trainer can help you define those needs as well as personal goals.  Also, site like Women's Health Magazine has helpful tips for weight training as well as demonstrations to help get you in a routine!

My Personal Favorite Weight Lifting Workout

I too, was awful at including weight training into workouts until I found Crossfit.  Crossfit uses constantly varied, functional movements in a high intensity way that delivers dramatic fitness results for athletes of all levels of skill and experience.  The classes have a fair ratio of Crossfit coaches and athletes, which is a great All of my classes have an equal amount of women and men and encourage women to make fitness goals, including lifting goals.

Change it up!

So if any of you ladies aren't lifting weights, start NOW!  The changes you will see will effect you physically and mentally.  Weight lifting prevents injury, increases muscle and decreases fat, a change in mental health, increases bone density, and boosts confidence!  You will notice a change in yourself immediately.  Ignore the misconceptions and see the change for yourself.

New Shoes, New You!

I am an outdoor runner starting early spring through fall and was so excited when I was able to take my first big jog 3 weeks ago (when the weather was on my side).  Unfortunately, I only lasted a good mile when I felt a pain running through my feet all the way up to my inner knee.  I knew hitting the pavement was an unfamiliar feeling since last fall, and I also knew I wasn't in the best of shape but this sharp pain was persistent.  I gave my legs a day off and tried going for a run the day after, same uncomfortable feeling, the feeling that I could really injure myself if I continued my run.

A friend of mine works for a store that sells running shoes and other running equipment so I visited him at work to see if he had ever heard of  other runners experiencing the same thing I was.  He right away asked me how old my running shoes were, and that's when I realized they were 3 years old.  He explained to me the importance of getting new shoes every 6 months, maybe even less depending on how often you're running.  He helped me with some new running shoes and sent me on my way, but I wasn't convinced that my shoes were going to make that much of a difference, I felt like my body just couldn't take the harsh outdoor runs anymore.  To my surprise, the shoes made a complete difference.  I had no aches, sharp pains, and I could run comfortably for 3 miles straight!  My shoes lost their support and my running form, joints, and muscles were taking a toll.

The point is, we are on our feet all day so it's important to take care of our main method of transportation...our feet!  If you are going to invest in expensive apparel, start with good shoes.  Wearing cheap shoes that don't fit (or if you're a woman, inexpensive, low quality heels that are too small) could lead to permanent damage!  Places that specialize in shoes are extremely knowledgeable and can tell you more about your own feet than you might even know, and comfortable shoes today don't have to be ugly, they can be stylish while helping prevent lower body injuries (click here and here for great shoe stores).  Take my advice and invest in a quality pair of shoes.  If you workout, make sure to get a new pair at least every 6 months, and just because they look ok, doesn't mean the inner support is there.    

A Vegetarian Diet is Right for You

I’m pretty sure that after reading the title of this post most of you rolled your eyes or scoffed at the idea of a vegetarian diet, but you should know that it’s good for you!  And it is possible.  I’ve been a vegetarian for almost seven years now and I don’t think I’ll ever go back.  I was vegan for over two years as well, but that was hard to keep up with so I went back to being a vegetarian. 

Some people don’t know this, but there are four types of vegetarian diets:

• Lacto-vegetarian – this diet excludes meat, fish poultry and eggs and includes dairy products.

• Lacto-ovo vegetarian – this diet excludes meat, fish and poultry and includes dairy products and eggs.

• Ovo-vegetarian – this diet excludes meat, poultry, seafood and dairy products and includes eggs.

• Vegan – this diet excludes meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products.

Just like the omnivores, vegetarians have a food guide pyramid as well.  More details regarding the pyramid can be found at Mayo Clinic.

Asides from saving animals lives, there are health benefits of a vegetarian diet.  A couple of them are:

• Ward of diseases – Vegetarian diets are healthier than the average American diet and can help prevent heart disease and reduce the risk of cancer.

• Keep your weight down – the average American diet is high in saturated fats and processed foods and is low in plant-based foods.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a division of the CDC, the National Center for Health Statistics, 64 percent of adults and 15 percent of children aged 6 to 19 are overweight and are at risk of weight-related ailments including heart disease, stroke and diabetes (retrieved 2013 from http://www.vegetariantimes.com/article/why-go-veg-learn-about-becoming-a-vegetarian/).

For the full list of the benefits of a vegetarian diet check out Vegetarian Times

People always ask me how I can be a vegetarian and if I miss meat.  The answer to that is it’s easy and no.  I’ll be honest that I was never really a fan of meat so it was easier for me to make the switch.  However, back when I did eat meat my step Mom made the best steaks ever!  So maybe once in a while I miss that, but really I don’t because if you were to put a steak in front of me today I would not eat it.  I also want to point out one thing, I don’t mind if people around me eat meat (I’m not “one of those”), that’s fine, but don’t force it in my face.  I have some friends that like to wave chicken wings in my face and that’s just gross and rude.  When people ask me how I can be a vegetarian they always ask what I eat instead.  Simple.  I eat a lot of veggies.  But what about something with more substance?  There are several brands that make wonderful veggie burgers and veggie meat substitutes that actually taste pretty good.  I’ve also noticed that more grocery stores are carrying more of these brands which is awesome.  This makes it even easier.  For those of you who are skeptics of the vegetarian diet, I say test it out.  Do something as simple as go vegetarian for one day out of the week.  See how you feel.  I bet you’ll feel better! 

Drive at Your Own Risk

A recent article outlined a recurring issue faced by shipping and freight companies that was called to light after a recent bridge collision. When over-sized truck routes are planned, they often rely on Department of Transportation (DOT) guidance on determining potential obstacles.

These may include bridges and roads with weight restrictions, height limitations, narrow pathways, and other areas that could present a higher risk of an accident if an oversize load tried to drive through like it was a standard pickup truck. However, this guidance that the DOT offers is not 100% foolproof.

For example, the bridge that was stuck in the article had been hit by other vehicles in the past. Even though the bridge stood up to the punishment...multiple ton, high speed impacts can't be good for any structure. Unfortunately, the DOT is unable to track every single impact, scrape, accident, construction project, structure repair, and other alteration to every road, bridge, and ramp.

For the majority of us who drive a passenger-sized car or truck (or utilize public transportation), these concerns are generally not in our minds during the regular commute. In fact, Minnesotans generally freak out and seize up when they see rain or a pothole, much less a height obstacle. Our inability to navigate our 8 months of road construction season is testament to that fact. We endure narrower lanes, tighter turns, and reduced speeds, and think nothing of it.

While I can understand the appeal of 100% accurate DOT guidance for larger vehicles, I'm not convinced the shipping companies of the world need that to move their goods, much less to do so in a safe manner. If a driver (and by that extension, their company) requires an outside entity to provide a route of what to avoid...I'd have to wonder if they are in the right job.

If a bridge isn't part of a highway system, it shouldn't be carrying loads that require one. If a road is too narrow, it shouldn't be squeezed into by a wide load. And if a driver or company needs that much help getting from Point A to Point B that the question is raised "Why didn't the DOT do a better job holding their hand", I really have to ask why they thought they should be making that trip in the first place.

Post #6, open topic 2 of 2.

Class Warfare...or whatever we're calling it these days

I have a former coworker that I am friends with on FaceBook. While he and I shared some commonalities outside our employer, he definitely leans far further left than I do...and most other people I know. Not a week goes by where he isn't posting a story about the struggles of "the worked class" (his words; not mine), and makes no secret of him being a (literal) card-carrying socialist. Yes, yes...run screaming for the hills.

While his views aren't necessarily that different from mine on human rights and similar social issues, he seems to be rather vehement in his disdain for people who maximize the opportunities capitalism offers. In other words, he's pretty fired up against the super rich. Stories about people who buy million dollar yachts are not well received.

This person (and many like him) favor some form of external force that would "level the playing field"; that through some form of government involvement or people's revolt, these rich bastards would have their ill-gotten gains stripped and redistributed to those who would be "more deserving".

I've never agreed with that concept. Not because I think people should starve while others burn $20s for fun...but if they got those $20s legally, I really can't find fault with what they do with it. Sure, there are "more productive" or "more moral" choices the super rich can make with their money...but it's their money. Once you steal it (through private or government driven purposes), you've traded one form of wealth redistribution for another.

I find myself wondering who sets that standard. Does everyone in the world get a check? What is the cutoff? Do millionaires get fleeced, but as long as you have $999, 999.99 in your bank account, you get a pass from the angry mob?

This is why I'm so against any external force deciding who gets what. There will always be haves and have nots, though not for the painfully laughable platitudes involving "welfare queens" and "lazy hippies". It ties to a number of factors, many (but not all) of which have nothing to do with controllable issues. It's just easier to dismiss others with a broad brush. To demonize...the other class.

So we now have this "class warfare" term bandied about; the scary sounding, "trust no one" idea that states you're either with us, against us, or insensitive to the plight of some other "us". This is sounding more and more like a board game, but everyone seems to be reading from a different rule book.

I think what this "class warfare" question of "haves versus have nots" need is a single rule book. This is being endlessly debated in the form of politics, but over time, we can hopefully develop a better set of rules to more purposefully address how guns, drugs, welfare, religion, and other hot button topics get addressed, rather that drawing lines in the sand.

Of course...you can always flip the game board and stomp away, as many children do when they don't like how the game has progressed. But I have to say...flipping the game board and introducing chaos might seem like a good idea, especially if you're currently disenfranchised, but uncontrolled fires have a way of burning everyone, including the people that set them.


Post #5-free topic 1 of 2

My Favorite (Movie) Theatre in Minnesota

My family didn't have much money growing up but when we did, we would go to a movie (discount theatre, of course).  So now that I'm older, I like to indulge in candy, popcorn, and 3D at the movies .  I guess you can call me a movie snob. Recently, I was lucky enough to attend a film at the Icon Showplace Movie Theater at The West End in Saint Louis Park and let's just say I've never been to such a high-class theater.    My seats were in the V.I.P. area (21 years and older only in the V.I.P. areas) which gave me exclusive access to the bar and grill where I could order anything from bacon popcorn to a mojito and bring it into the movie.  I've been to theatre's that offer a similar V.I.P. experience, but none like ShowPlace! 

The food in the V.I.P lounge is terrific, there are many fancy choices (stuffed olives and aged cheese, love!) for food drinks.  If you prefer old-fashion popcorn and a large soda, the regular concessions are available as well on the main floor.  The V.I.P.  seats  are leather and over sized with big arm rests, and the isles are wider so people can walk by you to their seats without you having to squeeze in or stand up awkwardly.The seats are also set in pairs, each pair sharing a little table, convenient for food or a purse. One thing I loved was the option to pay and pick my seat before arriving on the internet, making for a faster experience since your seats are reserved and you've already paid!   If planning ahead isn't your style, feel free to stop in and catch a movie as it's not necessary to reserve a seat ahead of time.  

  All the employees are so attentive and helpful, which made me feel as though the experience was definitely worth the price, even though the price won't break the bank anyway.   Service is great, food and drink are wonderful.  I've sat in the regular seats, and they are still nicer than regular theatre seats and you also have the advantage of picking your seats and buying your tickets on the internet as well (click here to checkout how to reserve your seats).  It's worth trying at least once in your life, especially if you like to be treat yourself and possibly a date!